Kohl's opened its stores at 6 a.m. Friday and will remain open until 6 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Macy's will be open until midnight during the next few nights.

So is Toys 'R' Us, which will extend those hours to 2 a.m. some nights.

Some retail experts are predicting an increase in holiday sales this year -- roughly 4 percent over last year.

Bill Martin, co-founder of ShopperTrak, the retail analysis service, said there are specific reasons why people are feeling comfortable to spend.

"The gas prices are at historic lows. We haven't seen these gas prices in a long time," Martin said. "The job numbers are much better than they've been in recent years past. The consumer confidence numbers are in good shape."